Definition
In the LAHSO context, simultaneous operations are air traffic control procedures that allow two or more aircraft to use intersecting runways, or a runway and an intersecting taxiway, at the same time, with one aircraft required to land and stop short of the intersection so the other aircraft can land, take off, or cross safely.
Plain English
Two aircraft using crossing runways or paths at the same moment, made safe by having one of them stop before the crossing point.
Context Anchor
Seen in Land and Hold Short Operations discussions, where a landing pilot may be asked to stop before a specific point so another aircraft operation can continue at the same time.
Derivation
Simultaneous comes from the Latin word simul, meaning “at the same time.” That is the key idea here: the operations are not happening one after another; they are being coordinated to happen together.
Why Pilots Care
Determines when a hold-short clearance is required to maintain safe separation on crossing runways.
Intuition Check
Do not read “simultaneous operations” as simply “busy airport activity.” Here it means two or more specific aircraft operations are being intentionally coordinated to occur at the same time without conflicting.
Example Sentence 1
The tower used simultaneous operations on the intersecting runways to keep arrivals and departures moving during the busy afternoon push.
Example Sentence 2
During simultaneous operations the pilot held short of the intersecting runway as cleared.